My 18 year old son's girlfriend was just diagnosed with Anxiety disorder with OCD. She has always been, (they have been dating long distance for 3 years), insecure, but having raised two girls I had chalked it up to typical, maybe extreme, teenage girl insecurities. We have now found out that she has some really big issues. My son is moving to her town for college this summer. My question is I want to beable to give him some advice, but don't want to give him the wrong advice. In the past year he has given up all his friends, and more recently has even removed himself from family functions in order to give her all his attention and avoid her unreasonable insecurities. We realize that she is ill, and only pray that she will get better with medicines and counseling. But in my opinion her distrust is way over the top (he has never even dated another girl), and by him taking these extreme measures to protect her won't help her learn to deal with her problem. He is a very intelligent, caring, and spiritual young man, and we are afraid this is going to have a real toll on him. He is now only watching cartoons, Discovery, and history channels on TV, so he isn't tempted to look at other girls and doesn't have to defend himself. They had a huge fight over a commercial that was on with pretty girls. He never puts it in her face, but if they are watching the same show she gets all upset and accuses him of wanting to be unfaithful. I just feel that he should act normal, respect her wishes to not watch very sexy shows etc., but to live life in a normal fashion, so as to not enable her illness, but help her to accept that what she is feeling is not right or fair to him. Am I right??

the girlftiend sounds very demanding and manipulative to me but others may disagree

to be blunt, your son may become her private full time psychiatric nurse

Ive seen this happen to friends of other anxiety sufferers

recovered former longtime anxiety and panic attack sufferer and helper of other sufferers but no training or qualifications in medicine or psychology, any remarks that may be taken as advice must be confirmed with doctor or other health professional

emails are welcome but do mention healingwell to avoid risk of deletion as spam

This is a very BIG concern of ours. I do want to give the meds and counseling a chance to work before I judge her to harshly. I know what you mean tho'. She is a very smart girl and high achiever and I hate to think of her having these bad feelings all the time. Of course my son's well-being is my main concern.